Pak trade minister in Mumbai with high-level team

After an almost three-year hiatus in India-Pakistan dialogue following the November 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai, the two countries are set to resume bilateral engagement, at least at the trade level.

Pakistan commerce and trade minister Makhdoom Amin Faheem today begins a five-day visit to India from ground zero at Mumbai itself. On Tuesday, he will address a business conclave at the Taj Hotel, which bore the brunt of the terrorist attacks.

India has strongly accused Pakistan of directly or indirectly sponsoring the attacks.

He will move on to Delhi later in the day for bilateral meetings with government officials, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Faheem will be accompanied by an 80-member delegation comprising the top Pakistan businessmen as well as officials.

The visit comes amid high expectations that Pakistan will move towards according most favoured status to India, as mandated by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The two sides are also expected to focus on liberalising visa issue for businessmen.